THE EASTER LILY W NORTHERN CLIMATES. 15 



not subject these vegetatively potted plants to heat at the same stage 

 of top development as dormantly potted bulbs. He should remem- 

 ber that these seedlings, which are all the way from large rosettes to 

 plants in full bud and are perfectly " fit " in appearance, may have 

 a great paucity of roots until new ones have had a chance to develop. 



It is not intended to give the impression that all the roots on 

 plants which come from the field rot off, but many, and probably 

 most of them as a rule, and often all of them, do. In spite of this 

 loss and the additional loss of leaves which may or may not accom- 

 pany it, the plants seem to recover and continue to grow until they 

 flower in a perfectly satisfactory manner. 



What probably occurs is a rejuvenation or reestablishment of the 

 uninjured roots and often of uninjured portions, all others decaying 

 during the time that the plants are becoming established in the pots 

 by the development of a new root system. There is need for careful 

 investigation to determine to what extent the subsequent growth of 

 plants would be injured by the complete removal of the root system 

 when repotting them from the field while in vegetative condition. 



In the care of this lilj^ the imported bulbs always have their roots 

 trimmed close, while an attempt is made with many lilies to save as 

 much of the root system as is possible in handling. 



It will prol)ably be much better not to attempt to set a time limit 

 on the period lequired for the lily plants to reroot at a temperature 

 of 40° to 50° F. at night. It will be much safer for the grower to de- 

 pend upon the condition of the root system, which is most accurately 

 gauged by an examination of the plant knocked out of the pot. The 

 same conditions shoidd govern the application of heat here as with 

 imported stocks, with which the growler is familiar. 



TREATMENT OF SEEDLINGS NOT INTENDED FOR WINTER FLOWERING. 



The previous discussion is based on the assumption that the lily 

 seedlings are to be brought into the greenhouse for their first flower- 

 ing, or in the case of the early ones for their second flowering, upon 

 the advent of cold weather in late autumn. If the intention, on the 

 other hand, is to carry them out of doors, it will be realized that the 

 iplants are at two decided disadvantages with reference to the ap- 

 proaching cold weather. 



In the first place, all plants that have not flowered are going into 

 the winter in full vegetative vigor and, in the second place, they are 

 shallowly set on clean-tilled ground. Under such conditions in the 

 climate of Washington, D. C, they maj^ not winter successfully. 



A very heavy mulch of coarse material, such as cornstalks, might 

 protect the bulbs sufficiently, but it is believed to be much the better 

 method of treatment to dig and reset them at the proper level before 

 the ground freezes in the fall. Tlie digging can be done either liefore 



